Harvest Festival

At last, Li Lin erased the magic from the strange stone tablet and freed the other paladins from their illusions. Afterward, a somewhat awkward atmosphere spread throughout the party. The one fortunate thing was that, apart from Li Lin, none of them had seen anyone else under the illusion. That was perhaps the only real consolation. Ever since returning to camp, Mina had used the excuse that she needed to meditate to retreat into the carriage, where she refused to show herself again. Duncan was clearly not lucky enough to stay hidden like her. After he reported to the elder that they had dealt with the goblin threat, the paladins received a warm welcome from the farmers. The villagers did not know why the paladins had taken a whole day, but country folk were not particularly knowledgeable to begin with. Besides, the goblins had plagued them for months, and their surprisingly easy extermination left the farmers overjoyed.

A lively feast was naturally in order. The enthusiastic farmers invited the paladins to join their bonfire dinner, and Duncan accepted, perhaps to dispel the awkwardness of the day's battle. The paladins, too, needed the warm fire and good wine to soothe their own agitation.

The sun had barely slipped below the horizon when flames rose in the center of the village, bringing fresh light. The farmers called out loudly as they warmly welcomed their guests from afar. The paladins, for their part, displayed impeccable manners. They were trained, courteous warriors, and even at a feast like this, they did not let down their guard. When invited by others, they declined gently and politely if they had to refuse.

"Look, that's how a person of quality should behave."

An old militiaman past fifty took a sip of wine and spoke indistinctly to his son.

"Even when they turn someone down, they politely say, 'Thank you for the invitation...' Hey, learn something from them, you fool. Which idiot was it who went to ask Linda out last time and stood outside shouting, 'My dear woman'?"

The paladins received a warm welcome, as did the two priestesses. Still, the country bumpkins knew enough to observe some propriety, and nothing particularly rude happened. Mina's face remained cold, and she still seemed to regret what had happened during the day. Fina took on the task of greeting their hosts, and it was hard not to take a liking to her soft, gentle voice. But being close to so many men also made the young priestess very nervous. Of course, she did not forget to steal glances at Li Lin and Angela whenever she had the chance. Although Mina had not said a word about what had happened to them in the mountains, she had made it clear to Fina that this man had rescued them.

At that moment, Li Lin sat silently on a tree stump nearby. Angela leaned against him, seemingly whispering something. The darkness seemed to blend with the two of them, keeping them from anyone's notice.

Fina found this a little strange, but before she could give it much thought, someone else's conversation drew her attention away.

Gazing at the rising flames, Li Lin was pondering things he had never thought about before. Perhaps now he could make sense of them. He had spent too long in that world, where the sea of lights on the ground obscured the brilliance of the stars. Humans could peer at the moon without restraint and discuss its craters, as though they held all the truths of the world in their hands. But after spending enough time there, Li Lin had also realized that what they regarded as truth was all conjecture.

Just like the Big Bang and the gods creating mankind.

He said this to himself.

Everyone firmly believed they were right, but no one could produce enough evidence to prove their own views, because the questions they posed had long since gone beyond what they could answer.

The same was true of mages.

Although he had lived very comfortably on Earth, Li Lin still believed he could get into the right frame of mind more easily on this continent. There was no roar of cars, no blaring music, and no dazzling neon lights. Sitting quietly on this land and looking up at the stars, he saw the silver light of the moon slant down and bathe the earth. The whole world became more harmonious and tranquil.

"What a beautiful view, master."

Angela sat beside him, gazing at the beautiful night in a trance.

"On Earth, those savage humans never paid any attention to the stars above. All they did was destroy everything to satisfy their desires. They considered themselves the noblest race in the world, yet lowered their heads because of their laughable pride. I believe that was because their fragile pride could not bear one fact: no matter what they possessed, beneath a night sky full of stars, they were nothing more than a drop in the ocean. They could not influence the universe, much less the world. They could only influence and change themselves... How sad."

"I'm glad you like the view."

Li Lin reached out and patted Angela's little head.

"It's important to know oneself."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze back to the bonfire before him.

"We all strive for what we can obtain, while longing for a future beyond our reach. That is humanity."

"Wise words, master."

Angela opened her eyes a sliver, then quickly closed them again.

"That is why I will never grow tired of being with you. Perhaps you alone are worthy of being called human. Those so-called humans are nothing but lowly vermin. Even though they live only for themselves, they are ashamed to mention it. Most of our temptations begin there. When a person is ashamed to speak of their desires, they are always the easiest to break."

"The truth is, I'm no different from them."

Li Lin shook his head, rejecting Angela's view.

"Look at these farmers. They're occupied solely with the harvest before them. At most, they can see as far as next year's harvest, or the year after. They're shortsighted, hoping only for a good harvest season, plenty of crops or more livestock, health and safety for their families, and happy, contented lives for their descendants. They don't need to think about humanity's future, or our place in this world, much less humanity's responsibilities. Yet they still experience life. Perhaps they're the ones who are truly enjoying it. Acknowledging how small one is doesn't mean being afraid, and being shortsighted is far better than an unrealistic, distant future."

A long wolf howl sounded in the distance, interrupting Li Lin. For a moment, the entire village fell eerily silent. The knights instinctively tightened their grips on their weapons and watched their surroundings warily. Fina also rose uneasily to her feet, staring in surprise at the woods beyond the village.

But faced with this, the elder only smiled.

"There's no need to worry, honored guests from afar."

His voice was full of confidence, with a note of joy.

"That is a 'Wise Wolf.'"

He, too, turned his gaze toward the distant cliff.

"According to our village's legend, she has always protected our crops and given us bountiful harvests. Clearly, she has blessed us again. It seems next year will be another plentiful season."

"She?"

"That's right, she."

Hearing Duncan's question, the elder laughed.

"At least, we hope it's a 'she,' don't we?"

Hearing this, Duncan shook his head. He did not believe a wolf could affect the harvest of an entire village. He thought he ought to tell these simple, generous farmers that this was no different from worshipping something evil. Besides, no one knew why a wolf would be associated with a bountiful harvest. Wolves were vicious and cunning creatures, and in no way suitable objects of worship. Moreover, the God of Justice, who was close at hand, was clearly a better choice. But just as he opened his mouth to say something, a clear voice interrupted him at precisely the right moment.

Angela stood up, her eyes still closed and her head raised as though she were basking in the moonlight. A clear, sweet song emerged from her little mouth and echoed through the night. Li Lin knew the song. It had been one of Angela's favorites before. It was not pop music; it sounded more like the telling of an ancient legend. It was a beautiful, melodious ballad, and now Angela, bathed in moonlight, looked even more like a fairy from the moon. Her long white hair reflected the moon's faint glow and wrapped around her small body, giving her a dreamlike appearance.

Of course, no one could understand the English Angela was singing in, but her sweet, lilting voice was enough to win everyone's heart. It was a narrative ballad, telling the legend of a merchant who met a young girl who was the incarnation of a wolf god during his travels, traveled with her, and accompanied her to the northern forest. The beautiful, clear singing held boundless passion and warmth. Almost everyone stopped talking; even the birds and insects fell silent and listened quietly.

Even after the song ended, many remained immersed in it. Only after a long while did they begin to cheer and applaud enthusiastically, thrilled to have heard such beautiful singing. After Li Lin explained the meaning of the song, the farmers grew even more jubilant.

"Let us raise our cups and drink together."

The elder was the first to raise his cup.

"And thank you for your blessing, young lady. Of course, we won't be giving our wolf god away to a passing merchant."

Seeing everyone's high spirits, Duncan could only shake his head helplessly and put the thought out of his mind.